Romanian foreign minister denies any plan to give up EU Council veto right

At a press conference in the Victoria Palace, interim foreign minister Oana Ţoiu dismissed claims that Romania intends to surrender its veto in the European Council as misinformation. She explained that only heads of state can start such a procedure, with the European Parliament and national legislatures also needing to consent. Ţoiu pointed to a joint letter from eleven member states, signed in 2023, which seeks a more efficient EU decision-making mechanism but makes no reference to abandoning veto powers.

The letter affirms that treaties remain intact and each country retains the full right to block decisions on national interest grounds. Ţoiu added that Romania has never exercised its veto and that any future change would still allow the Romanian Parliament six months to debate and potentially block it. The Senate recently adopted a declaration defending Romania's right to protect its national interests within the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy.